F1 Testing: Leclerc leads final morning in Bahrain as Aston Martin hits trouble

Charles Leclerc set the pace on the final morning of pre-season testing, the Ferrari driver running the team’s older spec wing as he edged out Kimi Antonelli by a tenth.

It was another trying morning for Aston Martin with Honda announcing the team’s running would be limited due to a battery and a lack of spare parts.

Charles Leclerc tops Bahrain testing as Aston Martin face Honda setback

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Out for his last run in the RB22 before the season begins in Australia, Isack Hadjar quickly got into his programme. His teammate, Max Verstappen, revealed on Thursday evening that there’s “still a lot to understand” for Red Bull.

The new Red Bull driver was P1 in the early running before he was overhauled by Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari. On medium tyres, the Ferrari driver clocked a 1:33.689 to finish the opening hour in P1, 0.227s ahead of Kimi Antonelli, with Oscar Piastri in third.

Aston Martin did not venture out in the first two hours, with Honda releasing a statement as it confirmed a battery issue and a shortage of parts meant the Silverstone team was forced to alter its programme.

“Our last run with Fernando Alonso yesterday showed a battery-related issue that impacted our test plan with the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team,” it read. “Since then, we have been carrying out simulations on the test bench in HRC Sakura.

“Due to this and a shortage of power unit parts, we have adapted today’s run plan to be very limited and consist only of short stints.”

Antonelli brought out the day’s first red flag when he pulled over halfway between T10 and T11 near a marshal post, his Mercedes engine having cut out.

The Mercedes was cleared by marshals and returned to the pits while Antonelli made his way back in the Safety Car.

Back underway, his rivals got back into their programmes with Leclerc, running with Ferrari’s older spec rear wing, not the rotating active rear wing, was the first to hit the 60-lap mark as the Monegasque driver’s 1:33.689 stood as the time to beat into the final hour.

There was still no sign of Stroll in the Aston Martin. The Canadian eventually left the pits with 20 minutes remaining in the morning session and completed an installation lap before returning to the team’s garage.

Meanwhile, Leclerc and Esteban Ocon crossed the 80-lap mark, the Ferrari engine proving to be reliable.

Leclerc finished the morning fastest of all with his 1:33.689, 0.227s up on Antonelli, who didn’t venture out again after his stoppage, with Piastri third.

The drivers practiced race starts on the grid in the final 10 minutes of the session, Stroll leaving the pits for his second lap of the morning.

F1 Testing: Bahrain Day 6 Morning Times

1 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:33.689 80 laps
2 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:33.916 49 laps
3 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:34.352 66 laps
4 Esteban Ocon Haas 1:34.494 82 laps
5 Isack Hadjar Red Bull 1:34.511 59 laps
6 Pierre Gasly Alpine 1:34.846 57 laps
7 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls 1:35.238 77 laps
8 Carlos Sainz Williams 1:35.252 66 laps
9 Nico Hulkenberg Audi 1:36.019 64 laps
10 Sergio Perez Cadillac 1:40.842 61 laps
11 Lance Stroll Aston Martin no time 2 laps

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